Since the success of AMC's The Walking Dead, zombies have had a huge resurgence within the horror genre over the past decade so we've decided to take a look back at the Best Zombie Movies of All Time:
#10. Zombieland
There's always been something kind of funny about the living dead, once you get passed the whole undying hunger for human flesh thing. Ruben Fleischer takes you on a road trip across a post-apocalyptic zombie outbreak with an incredible ensemble cast featuring Woody Harrelson in one of his most iconic roles - the twinkie loving zombie hunter, Tallahassee. But at its core, the film is about Jesse Eisenberg's Columbus learning to break some of his own self imposed rules of survival and do more than just play it safe and survive.
#9. 28 Weeks Later
That's right, WEEKS. Danny Boyle does a lot of the heavy lifting in 28 Days Later by establishing the desolate London atmosphere and introducing the infectious rage virus but 28 Weeks Later is the Aliens to 28 Days' Alien. It's a more action packed follow up that amps up the intensity while introducing a potential solution to the outbreak. Right from the opening sequence with the cascading music building and building upon the tension until all hell finally breaks loose is as perfect an opening to a horror film as there is. It's also a perfect embodiment of the film itself, which is a slow build eruption of exhilarating chaos.
#8. Pet Sematary
No not the remake, Mary Lambert's 1989 film. While it's still not the best Stephen King adaptation, it's definitely one of the better ones to come out of the 80's and a much more intellectual dissection of the consequences of bringing someone back from the dead if you were presented the opportunity. It's not the brain chewing, run for your life type of zombie movie you typically see. It's much more grounded and confined to a single family's tragedy, letting all of the details of death and mourning weigh that much heavier on you as it unfolds. It's a film about loss and learning to accept death as just another part of life. If you don't, you could end up carrying that loss with you everywhere until it ultimately consumes you.
#7. Dead Alive
While zombies have definitely broken into the mainstream in the modern era of cinema, there's a surprising amount of indie-DIY filmmakers that cut their teeth in the genre. Peter Jackson's Dead Alive (also known as Braindead) is his foray into zombie filmmaking that serves as a brilliant preview of the magnitude of mayhem the New Zealand director is capable of (even on the smallest scale). From the comically ridiculous amount of blood and gore to the Monty Python-esque physical humor, Peter Jackson establishes his voice in the cinematic world with an incredibly unique and unforgettable breakthrough feature.
#6. Shaun of the Dead
Back before Simon Pegg was Tom Cruise's comedic sidekick or Edgar Wright was the indie darling behind Baby Driver, they both burst onto the scene with this British zombie satire. Shaun's quest to win back his ex and prove himself capable of rising past the current zombie outbreak (although, he's become such a zombie himself it takes him a while to notice the outbreak is actually happening) is an endearing comedy that plays more like a romantic comedy with zombies than an actual horror film. But that's not to say that there aren't some great zombie kills along the way. It pays homage to all the greats that came before it while establishing itself as a modern staple in the genre itself.
#5. ParaNorman
Laika studios' ParaNorman is a beautifully crafted film for all of us that grew up loving horror movies. The animation is absolutely stunning, with a phenomenal voice cast that gives this film a personality unlike many others aimed at younger audiences. It's got the laughs and adventurous personality of a kids' movie from yesteryear, where everything didn't feel so safe and predictable. It doesn't tip toe around the horror elements of the film, it feels like it wants to scare your kids - the way Goonies or Gremlins did. And the story at the core of the film about bullying and alienation is so well written that this truly is a film for all ages and one of the best animated films of the it's time.
#4. Return of the Living Dead
While George A. Romero went off and made Dawn of the Dead, his original Night of the Living Dead co-writer John A. Russo wrote his own sequel intended to be directed by Tobe Hooper. However, when Hooper backed out in favor of directing Lifeforce - Alien screenwriter Dan O' Bannon filled the vacancy and gave Russo's very serious script an incredibly distinct, comedic rewrite. But aside from the dark humor and punk rock attitude - Return of the Living Dead also introduces the first running zombies who can't be killed by a simple head shot. And they also prefer brains instead of human flesh. It's a perfect balance of horror and comedy that distinguishes it's own tone and personality while serving as an interesting alternate universe follow up to Romero's original.
#3. Day of the Dead
While following Dawn of the Dead is no easy task for any horror film, I still think Day of the Dead is the most overlooked zombie film out there. No doubt, Romero made some groundbreaking achievements with Night and Dawn - but Day has a story that's just as poignant and a political commentary that's just as relevant today as it was then. The literal underground setting with a military rule of the few survivors that remain makes for an incredibly bleak and claustrophobic film. The undead now outnumber the living by a massive amount so rather than trying to solve or maintain the outbreak, our lead survivors become more interested in escaping their dictatorial leadership and living out the remainder of their lives somewhere more peaceful. The zombie effects in this film are incredibly well done but it's the meathead military rule that serves as the primary antagonist here. And when the zombies finally overtake them, you can't help but root for their demise, as gruesome as it may be.
#2. Night of the Living Dead
The movie that started it all, George A. Romero's original zombie outbreak masterpiece not only broke the mold for horror films of the time by taking aim at middle America but also revolutionized independent film-making as a whole. The tension filled farm house setting encapsulates the changing state of America in 1968 with Cold War paranoia and the atrocities of the Vietnam War being fed over the airwaves in the same manner as the news of the zombie outbreak here is delivered. Night of the Living Dead takes horror out of the castles and dungeons of some exotic land and drops it right in our own backyard with ourselves as the looming threat. The incompetent military response and the increasingly dire chance of survival paired with the simplistically grotesque zombies instill an unshakable sense of dread that has helped this film endure for over half a century as one of the most influential movies ever made.
#1. Dawn of the Dead
As we set sail for yet another summer absolutely drowning in lackluster sequels, looking back at how spectacularly Dawn of the Dead not only met the expectations set by the legendary original but exceed them - is simply stunning. Everything you loved about Night is expanded upon in Dawn. With a new group of survivors holed up in an abandoned shopping mall, the social commentary on American consumerism is absolutely brilliant. And the group dynamic between Stephen, Peter, Roger and Francine make for an incredibly likable and fun cast to be exiled with. Romero's direction has never been better - the film looks and sounds (thanks to the legendary score from Goblin) epic beyond belief. But make no mistake - even though the film has some incredible performances from thoughtfully well written characters, masterful direction and an incredibly intelligent script - Tom Savini's zombie effects steal the show. Savini displays why he's an absolute legend in the industry with some of the most gruesome and inventive kill scenes put to film and after the sprawling epic finale comes to its conclusion (lead by Savini himself leading a biker gang into the mall to wage war on the undead) the carnage is unlike anything else. It's an absolute masterstroke on every level and one of the best films ever made - zombie, horror, or otherwise.
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